Dartmoor Tors Compendium 2nd Edition by Josephine Collingwood - On My Bookshelf S08E04

Dartmoor Tors Compendium – Second Edition

Dartmoor Tors Compendium by Josephine Collingwood is a book that documents Dartmoor in remarkable detail. At 348 pages and containing 765 photographs, this substantial book documents every tor on Dartmoor named by Ordnance Survey and located on accessible land.

Each of the 160 tors is presented across a double page spread with photographs, factual information, and well researched text. Along the way the book also explores the wider Dartmoor landscape, covering geology, archaeology, mining heritage, and many other historical features you might encounter while exploring the moor.

I have owned the revised first edition for many years and it has guided me to countless new locations. The second edition builds on that with new tor listings, updated text, improved mapping, and additional photographs.

If you have an interest in Dartmoor, whether for photography, history, or simply exploring the landscape, this is an excellent reference book and one that I will return to again and again.

In this episode of On My Bookshelf I take a closer look at Dartmoor Tors Compendium 2nd Edition and explain why it remains such an important guide to the tors of Dartmoor.

You can buy Dartmoor Tors Compendium 2nd Edition by Josephine Collingwood directly from the author at https://www.tavicinitypublishing.co.uk/dartmoor-tors-compendium.html

Ethereal By Mark Cornick and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S08E03

Ethereal by Mark Cornick

In ththis episode of On My Bookshelf I take a look at Ethereal by Mark Cornick.

Ethereal is the result of an eight year exploration of abstract coastal photography using intentional camera movement. The book brings together two of Mark’s long term projects. Fathom, photographed on the far western coast of Cornwall, and Timeless Seas, created at West Wittering Beach.

A particularly engaging aspect of the book is the inclusion of Cornick’s field notes. Written while working on location, these short reflections provide context for the photographs and help build a stronger connection between the images and the coastal landscapes that inspired them.

The result is a thoughtful collection of abstract coastal photographs that encourages the reader to slow down and spend time with the work.

You can watch the full video below where I share a closer look at the book.

You can purchase Ethereal by Mark Cornick directly from Kozu Books - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/ethereal-by-mark-cornick

Best Photography Books to Gift Now or Anytime! Inspiration for Every Photographer!

Finally! A Video with My Gift Recommendations!

Every year as Christmas approaches I say to myself that I’m going to join the bandwagon and publish a photography gift list. And every year I don’t. Until this year that is when I put it on my task list and scheduled it in for filming nice and early.

There are lots of themes I could have picked for my photography related gift list, but I wanted to do something that was related to me and my channel. The On My Bookshelf series on my channel is special to me as I’m passionate about photography books, so doing a gift list of photography books made perfect sense.

If you are looking for a photography related gift for yourself, or the photography lover in your life, then my list of photography books is just what you need. And best of all, you can buy photography books all year round so no need to wait for Christmas.

I hope you enjoy my choices and happy gift shopping!

🎞️ Watch all the episodes of On My Bookshelf that feature the books in this video in this playlist.

🛒 Purchase Visually Speaking - Mastering the Art of Photography by Ted Forbes https://amzn.to/3GfNtqo or find other retailers - https://www.tedforbes.com/book

🛒 Purchase From Dawn to Dusk: Mastering the Light in Landscape Photography, by Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer - https://amzn.to/4jPF8Ib

🛒 Purchase Landscape Photography Workshop (Updated Edition) by Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer - https://amzn.to/3qBTHIW

🛒 Purchase The Art of Landscape Photography (Updated Edition) by Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer - https://amzn.to/45Z3WHn

🛒 Purchase any fotoVUE guidebook and use the discount code JULIAN to get 20% off all books at https://fotovue.com/shop/

🛒 Purchase Sand by Anthony Lamb from Kozu Books - https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/sand-by-anthony-lamb

🛒 Purchase Stillness in Motion by Sally Mason from Kozu Books -https://www.kozubooks.com/books-new/stillness-in-motion-by-sally-mason

🛒 Purchase 40 Farms by Amy Bateman - https://amzn.to/4r53LoL

🛒 Purchase Gemini and Mercury Remastered by Andy Saunders - https://amzn.to/3J66M71

🛒 Purchase Apollo Remastered by Andy Saunders - https://amzn.to/4nWQcFQ

🛒 Purchase The Great Wilderness directly from Alex Nail - https://www.alexnail.com/great-wilderness-book/

🛒 Purchase Headlands by Norman McCloskey - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/books/headlands/

🛒 Purchase Kingdom by Norman McCloskey - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/books/kingdom/

🛒 Purchase Beara by Norman McCloskey - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/product/beara/  

Headlands by Norman McCloskey - On My Bookshelf S07E12

Setting the Standard for a Landscape Photography Book

Over the years I’ve made no secret about how much I like Norman McCloskey’s earlier two books, Beara and Kingdom. They are exceptional not only for the photographs in them, but also the presentation, layout, and sequencing. It’s a tough formula to get right, and I can only think of one other photographer who excels in book production. Can you guess who that is?

So, when Norman teased the release of his fourth book and third in a trilogy along with Beara and Kingdom, I couldn’t wait to see what he would produce. But sometimes when you get so excited about something and your expectations rise, the real-life experience can sometimes leave you disappointed and flat.

When my copy of Headlands dropped through the letter box, I was a little apprehensive. Should I have been? Let’s find out in the latest episode of On My Bookshelf.

Purchase Norman’s Books 

✔️ Visit Norman's website and sign up for his newsletter - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/

🛒 Purchase Headlands by Norman McCloskey - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/books/headlands/

🛒 Purchase Kingdom by Norman McCloskey - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/books/kingdom/

🛒 Purchase Beara by Norman McCloskey - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/product/beara/

🛒 Purchase Parklight by Norman McCloskey - https://www.normanmccloskey.com/product/parklight/

🎞️ Watch the episodes of On My Bookshelf for Beara and Kingdom here -

🎞️ Watch Ólafur Arnalds & Talos - We Didn't Know We Were Ready (feat. Niamh Regan & Ye Vagabonds) -

Gemini and Mercury Remastered by Andy Saunders - On My Bookshelf S07E11

Remastered Again!

Back in series 6 of On My Bookshelf I looked at a book called Apollo Remastered by Andy Saunders. I loved it so much that it’s now up there with some of my all-time favourite photography books. It’s probably not surprising given I am fascinated about space and space travel!

When I heard that Andy Saunders was creating Gemini and Mercury Remastered, I couldn’t have pre-ordered the book quick enough. I knew very little about those early space flights that were the precursor to the Apollo missions, and I hoped this book would not only fill in a gap in my knowledge but also have stunningly restored photographs.

Now that I have it, has it disappointed? Let’s find out in this episode of On My Bookshelf.

🛒 You can purchase the hardcover, Kindle or audiobook version of Gemini and Mercury Remastered by Andy Saunders - https://amzn.to/3J66M71

🛒 You can also purchase Apollo Remastered by Andy Saunders - https://amzn.to/4nWQcFQ

Visually Speaking, Mastering the Art of Photography by Ted Forbes - On My Bookshelf S07E10

A Photography Book for Everyone

There are books on just about every aspect of photography except photography itself. Or so the author of Visually Speaking, Ted Forbes says.  And do you know what, I think he may be right.  If I look on my bookshelf, I can see a broad range of photography books that do indeed cover a wide range of photography genres and techniques.  But there isn't single book on the art of photography. 

I don't have a background in art, and I sometimes lack the deeper understanding and language of my favourite art form, photography.  It's one the reasons why I love Ted's YouTube channel, The Art of Photography so much.  I find Ted's approach and style of photography communication engaging and easy to understand.  So, when he announced he was releasing a book on the art of photography I knew I had to get it.

So why has it taken me over 6 months to produce an episode of On My Bookshelf for it?  The main reason is that I wanted to read every word, cover to cover.  The fact that it took six months is more a reflection on my busy schedule rather than the content of the book.

But the episode is here at last and I'm very excited to share it with you.  I think this is a photography book for everyone.  Find out why by watching the video below.

🛒 Pick up a copy of Ted's book from Amazon https://amzn.to/3GfNtqo or find other retailers here - https://www.tedforbes.com/book

🎞️ Check out Ted's YouTube channel - https://www.youtube.com/theartofphotography

Please note that the Amazon link is an affiliate links (but not a paid link or ads).  By buying through these links I may receive a commission for the sale. This has no effect on the price for you.

Wild by Jo Stephen and Published by Kozu Books - On My Bookshelf S07E09

Intimate Landscapes and Portraits of Nature

Some photography books are big and heavy, and they dominate a section of my bookshelf.  Other photography books are smaller and seem to blend in with the other titles on that shelf.  But it's these less obvious books that often have the best surprises in them.  One such book is Wild by Jo Stephen.  A relatively small book but one that has the power to transport you to a world of nature.

The photographs don't shout and scream at you, but they are powerful.  Some photographs are clear and focused, where others use soft focus or multiple exposures.  But they all create a sense of nature, connection and calm. 

In a world of big vista landscapes vying for your attention on social media, it's a relaxing and yet highly engaging experience reading Wild.  You can see why in this episode of On My Bookshelf.

🛒  See Wild by Jo Stephen on the Kozu Books website - https://www.kozubooks.com/out-of-print/wild-by-jo-stephen

🎞️ See the other Kozu Books titles that have featured on an episode of On My Bookshelf in this playlist.

Land and Light by Adam Gibbs - Episode 50 of On My Bookshelf S07E05

50 Episodes of On My Bookshelf 

I want to start this blog post by announcing that this is the 50th episode of On My Bookshelf!  When I started producing episodes in 2017, I never thought for one moment that I would reach episode 50!  The fact that I've got to this number of episodes is testament to my passion for photography books.  It's also a reflection that you like watching the show!  So, thank you for all your support, no matter if you have watched just 1 episode or you are about to watch your 50th!

Land and Light

For this special 50th edition of On My Bookshelf I'm going to look at Land and Light by Adam Gibbs.  I was lucky enough to receive my copy of Light and Land from Adam in person at the Photography Show in London earlier this year and I've been looking forward to reading it ever since.  Now I can finally share my thoughts on it in an episode of On My Bookshelf.  Enjoy!

 🛒 You can purchase a copy of Land & Light by Adam Gibbs here - https://adamgibbs.com/books/landlight

Atlantic Cowboy by Andrea Gjestvang - On My Bookshelf S05E05

The Faroe Islands - A Portrait of Life

I first learnt about the book Atlantic Cowboy when it was featured in Outdoor Photography magazine. At first, I thought it was a book of photographs from the Faroe Islands, but I soon found out it was so much more than that.

I’ve always wanted to travel to and photograph the Faroe Islands, but I’ll be honest, I knew very little about the culture and people. This book offered me the opportunity to not only appreciate a style of photography that I might not normally look at, but it was also a chance to learn more about some of the people that live and work on the Faroe Islands.

I’ve had this book a little while now, so this is a bit of a belated review. It’s also sold out on the Gost Books (the publishers) website, but I’m sure if you check a few book shops you’ll still find a copy. Not sure if it’s a book for your bookshelf, then why not check out this episode of On My Bookshelf.

The Great Wilderness by Alex Nail - On My Bookshelf S06E04

A Masterpiece of Photography and Book Design

Over the 40 plus episodes of On My Bookshelf that I’ve made, I’ve featured books covering all sorts of genres and styles of photography. For the most part, they all have something that I like and that’s great photographs. However, every now and again I buy a book that I love. So, what separates a book with great photographs from a book that I love? Presentation!

How the photographs are printed, sequenced, and bound in a book can make all the difference on how even great photographs are experienced. If you want to look at a photographers great photographs you can do it on their website, but when you buy their book that experience should be a vastly superior.

Two of my favourite books, Beara and Kingdom (both my Norman McCloskey) are a great example of how to turn a collection of great photographs into a viewing experience to be savoured.

Another photographer that seems to be mastering this art is Alex Nail. His previous title, Northwest, was fantastic. It turned out to be one of my favourite landscape photography books.

When Alex announced pre-orders for his latest book, The Great Wilderness, I couldn’t give him my money fast enough. Alex had been hinting at the design choices he had been making for this book and it sounded like his attention to detail was going to be like no other book I would have on my bookshelf.

Now that I have the book, did Alex manage to deliver on both the photographs and the book design? Let’s find out!

You can pick up a copy of The Great Wilderness directly from Alex at https://www.alexnail.com/great-wilderness-book/

Crafting a Luxury Photo Book With My 2020 Landscape Photographs

Taking the Positives from 2020

Let’s face it, 2020 wasn’t exactly a stellar year. Everyone’s photography suffered in some way but that pales in comparison to the wider problems the pandemic brought. However, I’m a half glass full kind of person so I will always try and look for the positives. Despite missing some important photographic events through the year, I was still surprised by the number of good images that I had captured during 2020.

At the start of 2020 I made the commitment to myself that I would create a photo book of my images at the end of each year. I was inspired to do this after I created my first Saal Digital photo book which was a retrospective look at the previous 10 years of my landscape photography. You can see how I went about that in this blog post.

Looking at the book was such a wonderful experience, much in the same way that viewing an individual print is such a positive thing to do. That experience stuck with me for 2020, so when 2021 rolled around I got to work on creating my Portfolio 2020 book. As before I decided to have it printed by Saal Digital but this time I went the extra mile and added something a bit special.

You can find out all about my Portfolio 2020 book, and the extra item I ordered in the video below.

Do you create your own photo books? Has this video inspired you to do something similar? Let me know in the comments below.

Creating My Biggest Ever Landscape Photography Book

Creating Photo Books

If you’ve been reading my blog for a while or watching my YouTube channel, you’ll know how important it is for me to create something physical from my photographs. For me, the photographic process isn’t complete until I have made a print. I just love printing! You can beat the experience of watching one of your images take physical form.

Printing individual images for me is quick, easy, and reasonably inexpensive. I can also be spontaneous with my decision to print a photograph. Photography books are much more of a commitment, both in terms of preparation, time, and cost. It’s not that I’ve necessarily shied away from creating a book, it’s just that I’ve never felt the need.

That was all true until earlier this year when I created my first landscape photography book using the images that I’d captured from the Isle of Skye the year before. It was fantastic to see a collection of my images in a book. It hasn’t changed my attitude towards printing at home but it has given me another way to output my photography. I could definitely see the benefit of printing a collection of images in a book format. There is something even more permanent and physical with a book.

This Is Fun, Let’s Do Another

After my experience of creating my book of Skye photographs, I knew I would want to create another book at some point. I wasn’t planning to do one so soon but then I saw an advert from Saal Digital UK offering a £100 voucher against the cost of one of their Professional Line books. I’d never used Saal before and I thought this would be a great opportunity to not only try their services but also to create another book. I applied for the voucher and was incredibly pleased when my application was accepted. (I will add that the voucher came with no conditions other than a use-by date.)

From the outset, I knew this was going to be a much bigger book than my last one. I wasn’t exactly sure of the scope to start with, and it took me a little while to get myself started, but once I was going it turned out to be a fantastic project.

Like I did with my Skye book I decided to make a video of my experience of creating this book. In the video, I talk about how I selected my photographs, my experience of using the Saal designer software and my thoughts on the final printed book. You can check out the video below:

Will I Do Another?

There’s no doubt that having photography books printed can be a costly exercise, especially if you are just printing one book for personal use but I do firmly believe it is worth doing. With that in mind, I have made a personal commitment to producing another book.

Unless anything else comes up between now and the end of the year that requires a book, my next book will feature my best or favourite photographs from 2020. If that book turns out to be a positive experience it will be something, I will want to do every year. I’m also going to look at some of the additional options that Saal offer such as gift boxes, different covers and paper types. I will, of course, be creating a video for that so you can share the experience with me.

I hope you enjoyed this video and blog post. Do you create your own photography books? Do you sell your books? Let me know in the comments below.

Landscape Photography - On Location with Thomas Heaton (Preview) - On My Bookshelf S03E04

Welcome to my 200th Blog Post

Before I tell you about the latest episode of On My Bookshelf, I just want to let you know that this is my 200th post on the Exposed Blog. My first blog post was made on 30th August 2016 and since then I have made a new post every week. The weekly post was a commitment I made to myself at the start but even I’m a little surprised that I manage to keep going for two hundred posts and not miss a single week.

It’s been a bit of a roller coaster. Sometimes I’d be sitting there with 5 or 6 posts ready to go and other weeks I’d be sitting there on a Sunday frantically typing out my latest landscape photography adventure. I’ve thought about cutting back from the weekly schedule, but I just love sharing my adventures and stories with you. The thing that really keeps me going though is YOU, the readers of the blog. Thank you for all the comments here, and on all my social media channels. Your support really does keep me going.

I wonder if I can make it to 500!

On My Bookshelf - Thomas Heaton

For my 200th blog post, I’ve managed to bag myself an exclusive look at Thomas Heaton’s new book “Landscape Photography, On Location with Thomas Heaton”. Mr Heaton has not only inspired my photography, but he also inspired me to create my YouTube channel. When I heard he was going to publish his first book of landscape photographs I was really interested in seeing what it was all about.

Now that pre-orders for his book have opened (get a copy here) I’m delighted to share with you my thoughts on his forthcoming book. Once you’ve watched my video be sure to check out Thomas’ announcement video below that.

UPDATE!

I now have a physical copy of the book so please check out part 2 of my review!

Your Photos Matter - Create a Photo Book

Don’t Forget to Publish Your Photos!

In October of last year, I went on a photography bucket list trip to the Isle of Skye. This wasn’t a last-minute trip but one that I had probably started to organise some 18 months prior to departure. Over that 18 month period, I had a lot of time to get excited about the trip. Needless to say that when the trip did finally come around my levels of excitement were through the roof.

With all that planning and excitement I find it odd that I left the photographs I captured just sitting on my hard drive. What was the point in spending all that time and money on capturing these images and doing nothing with them! So I decided the best and most interesting way to publish these photographs was with a photo book. If you a regular reader of the blog you’ll know how keen I am on creating something physical from my photographs. This time though, rather than print them myself I would create a photo book.

You can see how I went about it in the video below:

I hope you enjoyed the video and it has inspired you to dig about your catalogue of images, print some of them, or even create a photo book yourself. If you do, please let me know in the comments below.

My Isle of Skye Photographs

I hope you enjoy the collection of photographs that I placed in my book. Just click on a thumbnail to view the image full screen and see all the shooting information.

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Beara by Norman McCloskey - On My Bookshelf S02E04

Discovering Beara

I'm not sure if I was aware of the work of Norman McCloskey before I got Beara, but I do know how I discovered Beara.  I was flicking through the March 2019 issue of Outdoor Photography magazine when I spotted a feature on the book.  As luck would have it my wife had been asking me what I wanted for my birthday so I asked her to get me a copy of Beara. 

Obviously, the sample pictures in the magazine were enough for me to want a copy but it wasn't until I actually got the book and read it that I realised what a fantastic collection of landscape photographs Norman had put together. 

Anyway, I don't want to reveal all my thoughts here on the blog.   Instead, why don't you check out the latest episode of On My Bookshelf and let me tell you a little more about Beara.

I do hope you enjoyed this episode of On My Bookshelf .  Will you be picking up a copy of Beara?  Have you been to the Beara Peninsula?  Let me know in the comments below.

PS - You can pick up a copy of Beara direct from the author by clicking on this link here.

Digital Books for Your Digital Bookshelf - On My Bookshelf S02E03

Inspiration on the Move

I’m a big fan of the photography book. Anyone who’s been subscribed to my YouTube channel for a while will have seen an episode of On My Bookshelf and watched me talk about some of my favourite photography books. For the most part though, those books are too big to take anywhere apart from your own living room.

In most cases, a printed photography book is preferential to a digital photography book. But what if you wanted a little bit of photography inspiration on the move. Perhaps you might have to commute to work every day, or you’ve got a long train journey or even a flight somewhere. Some of the books I have would need to pay for their own seat on a plane!

In this special, digital edition of On My Bookshelf, I’m going to share with you 5 digital photography books that I think should be on your virtual bookshelf, so you can a little bit of photography inspiration on the move.

Your Reading List

As promised, here is a list of those books from the video: 

• The Art of Landscape Photography - by Ross Hoddinott and Mark Bauer

• International Landscape Photographer of the Year

• Ascender by Jeff Masamori

• Martin Bailey’s ebooks

• Gordon Laing - In Camera: Perfect Pictures Straight Out of the Camera

I do hope you enjoyed this shorter than normal episode of On My Bookshelf, but hopefully, you’ve spotted a book there that you might be able to take with you next time you are on the move.

Do you read any digital photography books? Have you got any digital recommendations? Let me know in the comments below.